The strangest thing
I’ve seen all week
is my reflection
in passing.
After pretending
I should know
the rules they have set,
after keeping worlds
trapped in my throat
underneath paper bag skin,
I see myself
smiling, like nothing
could be more natural
than bared teeth hidden
behind well rouged lips,
like it’s nothing.
Song Choice: Free Your Mind by En Vogue
This poem was inspired by the prompt given over at Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads: Word Count With Mama Zen
Zowie! those teeth behind the rouged lips. The strength underneath the smile.
ReplyDeleteThe has to be a lot of strength to put up with it all.
DeleteOh, I really like this, Rommy!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad
Deletebare teeth is quite a shock. just as aging is
ReplyDeletePerhaps, though that isn't what was intended in this piece.
Delete"I said, this can't be me, must be my double." --Leonard Cohen
ReplyDeleteI think many people might share similar frustrations, but for tangentially different reasons.
DeleteThat is a strange thing, I must say...
ReplyDeleteIndeed
DeleteOh! And what she does not say...
ReplyDeleteA lot. Because she has learned it is futile in some situations.
DeleteWell seems it wasn't just me looking in the mirror. I love this description of the mask that kills us inside. Bare your teeth.
ReplyDeleteYes, a mask worn of necessity, even as we wonder why is it still necessary.
DeleteYou captured such a moment of surprise that brought out internal pondering. This said so much in a short time. Powerful!
ReplyDeleteTo see a placid smile when you feel the need to bear your teeth can make you wonder why you do that.
DeleteWhistles!!❤️💝 This is absolutely splendid writing, Rommy! I love the strength that adorns these lines; "I see myself smiling, like nothing could be more natural, than bared teeth hidden behind well rouged lips, like it’s nothing." Beautifully penned. Thank you so much for participating at Prompt Nights and for your constant love and support❤️💝
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Sanaa
Thanks Sanaa
DeleteYou capture a dichotomy here - it is the smile that makes us human but it is a dangerous practice in the animal kingdom to bare teeth.
ReplyDeleteVery, very much. I'm glad you caught that.
DeleteSome days, some times in life, all we can do is bare our teeth and (at least for a bit) smile like life is happening like it's supposed to. The alternative might leave a lot of people screaming... including us, methinks.
ReplyDeleteToo much screaming gets distracting after a while as well.
DeleteLove this, Rommy! I'm glad some people smile at themselves in the mirror - I tend to avoid my reflection, if possible. The words I identify with are:
ReplyDelete'...keeping worlds
trapped in my throat
underneath paper bag skin'!
It wasn't so much that she was smiling in the mirror as she caught a glimpse of a not so natural smile, while passing.
Delete'Twere a figure of imagination?
ReplyDeleteNo for real, I swear, been there too.
..
I imagine several have
DeleteSometimes that smile without a reason comes as a surprise... maybe it was someone else.
ReplyDeleteThe reason is camouflage
DeleteWe should never be surprised to find out we are more than one person. Sometimes I am so disappointed in me I seem to do a mental somersault to get rid of the bore I have become. Good to hear you came good and bared your teeth and reverted to you real self.
ReplyDeleteThere is a certain level of disappointment in the outside world with this too
Deletesometimes it's good & wise to keep 'bared teeth hidden / behind well rouged lips,'
ReplyDeleteExactly. Because there are consequences for doing otherwise.
DeleteWords not said, held silent by clenched teeth, masked by rouged lips. Evocative words. Great read.
ReplyDeleteYes, and there are many words that perhaps do need saying at some point.
Deleteluv the rouged lips, let vanity never die
ReplyDeletemuch love....
This isn't so much about vanity, but I guess I can see that angle
DeleteAh - smiling like nothing could be more natural --- those bared teeth frighten me a slight bit.
ReplyDeleteAnd their intensity may frighten the protagonist as well.
Delete"than bared teeth hidden
ReplyDeletebehind well rouged lips,"
Excellent! Love this Rommy!
Glad you enjoyed it
DeleteMy grandma used to say that it would sometimes startle her when she saw her reflection in passing, causing her to wonder who that strange woman was in the house with her! This reminded me of that. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI guess I can see that angle to it as well.
DeleteFor me, this is a brilliant articulation of the innate human woman grappling with the public face we paint over that realism. I think this piece is fantastic - powerfully rendered - and a very, very important feminist literary work.
ReplyDeleteFeminist - and intersectionally so. That was the intention.
DeleteLike this.. especially the paper bag skin and rouged lips...
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting imagery
DeleteVery Powerful!
ReplyDeleteZQ
Glad you enjoyed it
DeleteYou brought the whole meaningful moment vividly to life.
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteGreat piece, Rommy!!Well...sometimes it's better to keep those fearsome incisors hidden behind a pair of lips.Smiles.
ReplyDeleteOnly sometimes ;)
DeleteThe shock of a sudden glimpse of ones self can be quite unnerving lol XXX
ReplyDeleteDepending on what one sees, yes
DeleteYou had to mention paperbag skin...lol!
ReplyDeleteWell, yes. It was a metaphor for color I had heard when I was young.
Delete